SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC

FORMATIONS OF MAURYAN
EMPIRE

ECONOMY
1.The state controlled almost all economic activities.
2. Tax collected from peasants varied from 1 /4 to 1/6 of
the produce.
3. The state also provided irrigation facilities
(Setubandha) and charged water- tax.
4.Tolls were also levied on commodities brought to town
for sale and they were collected at gate.
5.The state enjoyed monopoly in mining, forest, salt, sale
of liquor, manufacture of arms etc.
6. Sohgaura (Gorakhpur district, U.P.) copper plate
inscription and Mahasthana (Bogara district,
Bangladesh) inscription deal with the relief measures to
be adopted during a famine.
7.Important ports: Bharukachch / Bharoch and Supara
(Western coast), Tamralipti in Bengal (Eastern coast).
 8.During Mauryan period, the punch-marked coins
(mostly of silver) were the common units of transactions.

SOCIETY

1. Kautilya/Chanakya/Vishnugupta is not as rigid on the Varna

system as the earlier Smriti writers.
2. Kautilya's 'Arthashastra' looked upon the Shudras as an Aryan
community which is distinguished from Malechha or non-Aryan
community.
3. Reduction of gap between the Vaishyas (most of whom were now
concentrating on trade though others continued cultivation) and
the Shudras (quite a few of whom were now agriculturists and
others being artisans).
4.Magasthenese states that Indian society was divided into 7 classes
:
1. Philosophers
2. Farmers
3. Soldiers
4. Herdsmen
5. Artisans
6. Magistrates
7. Councilors
The 'classes' mentioned above appear to have been economic than
social.

5.Though Megasthenese stated that there were no slavery in India;

yet, according to Indian sources, slavery was a recognised
institution during Mauryan reign. It appears that Megasthenese
was thinking of slavery in full legal sense as it existed in the West.
6. Women occupied a high position and freedom in the Mauryan
society. According to Kautilya, women were permitted to have a
divorce or remarry. Women were employed as personal
body-guards of the king, spies and in other diverse jobs.